Janeites, Vol. 1 Book

This is enigmatic, not an easy book to enter into, but worth it. William Barton is a former security guard to the powerfully connected, now living alone in an imposing terrace house with vineyards, somewhere in Alsace. He is recently diagnosed with cancer. His wife Josephine, wealthy, generous with her favors, left him some time ago, but they remain on good terms. His last client, an elderly Marquis who slept with Josephine, has become a friend. Ray Valdez, is a Jesuit priest and physician, employed by a research institute in Strasbourg, but taking the occasional patient including the Marquis, involved in a tumultuous relationship with Janine, a struggling actress who has occasional clients with a well-connected madame. He is a strong proponent of alternative treatments - acupuncture, massage, and the healing power of music and literature, specifically Jane Austen's books which have no crime, no violence and in which very little happens. Ray introduces himself to Josephine, part of getting to know William, finds her very attractive but does not pursue her. Walking home from work one night he is ambushed and assaulted, nose badly broken, he has no idea by whom or why.
William decides to use his professional skills to identify the attacker. He discovers a connection between a Permanent Rep to the EU and Janine. He interrogates Janine very skillfully. She disappears. Was the point of the attack on Ray to frighten Janine? Or Ray? And there is a connection between Janine and Inez - both occasionally supplement their incomes with assignments for Madame Benedicte, purveyor of women to the great and misbehaving. Searching for Inez, William is injured slightly by a nasty little man with a small gun and a small knife. The nasty little man is Monsieur Philippe who hired the man who attacked Ray.
Ray and Josephine have become a couple, happy, spending idyllic time at a forester's cabin until an auto accident with a washed out road interrupts them. Then Monsieur Philippe again attempts to put a halt to William's efforts by attempting to blow up his house. Some damage to the exterior, no injuries. Ray goes to check on William taking Josephine with him. She is moved by feelings of guilt, conflicting loyalties and returns to William, leaving Ray. Monsieur Philippe is unwilling to give up his target and follows Ray for one more attempt at ambush. It's a complicated story with three really interesting and sympathetic characters, and is the last of Freeling's novels to be published.